Journal lubricators



March 22, 1960 L. E. HOYER ETAL 2,929,664

JOURNAL LUBRICATORS Filed Dec. 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 1960 L. E. HOYER EI'AL JOURNAL LUBRICATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, 1955 in? E Inventors Llewellgn. 3E finger Santos John 12.1.

United States Patent C JGURYAL LUBRICATORS Llewellyn E. Hoyer, Wye-ho N1, and John R. L. Santos, Baltimore, Md, assignors to American Brake Shoe t'lompany, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application Becemeer El, 1955, Serial No. 550,348

8 Claims. (Cl. 308-243) This invention relates to journal lubricators, and in particular to journal lubricators adapted for operation in the journal boxes of railway cars.

it has been concluded among those familiar with the art that waste packing as heretofore conventionally used for lubricating journals of railway cars is primarily responsible for the so-called hot box problem due in most occurrences to loose strands of waste being picked up or grabbed by the journal and trapped at the face of the journal bearing where these strands become ignited by friction. Another and related objectionable feature to waste lubrication has been that in hot weather the waste packs down excessively, taking on a more or less permanent set and riding free of the journal so that no lubricant is furnished .to the journal; while in cold weather gummy masses of oil-soaked waste strands are produced in the box which Work up under the bearing.

There is general agreement that a successful solution to the foregoing is to be sought by means other than improved waste packing lubrication, and there have been proposals regarding resort to installation of absorbent lubricating pads so arranged in the bottom of the journal box that the downwardly disposed face of the pad engages the bottom of the journal box while the upwardly disposed face of the pad engages the journal of the railway car to relay lubricant from the bottom of the box to the journal. These pad lubricators have assumed different forms, and one objectionable feature of many has been the tendency for the face of the pad engaging the journal to glaze over, seriously impeding the flow of lubricant to the journal and tending to become excessively hot so as dangenously to approach ignition temperature. The primary object of the present invention is to afford an absorbent pad for lubricating a journal, unaffected by ambient weather conditions, highly resistant to glazing and which operates consistently with substantial pressure against the journal and at surface temperatures well below those determined to represent relatively safe standards.

Another troublesome problem that has been encountered with many prior pad lubricators used in railway journal boxes has been the tendency for the pad to follow the rotory motion of the journal, so that the pad becomes lodged against a side wall of the box where lubricant is at a shallow level or altogether absent, and a further object of the present invention is to enable this undesired shifting tendency of the pad to be resisted.

Specifically, the objects of the present invention are to enable a journal to be lubricated by capillarity through a relatively thick sponge pad of oil-resistant synthetic rubber or the like encased in a wicking cover of such construction and surface characteristics as to reduce the probability of the lubricator being forced by the journal to one side or the other of the box; to enable the lubricator to operate at consistently low temperatures while achieving effective lubricating action on the journal; to impart stiffening to the aforementioned cover in a novel manner; to enable a novel lubricator of the foregoing kind to be produced in a symmetrical form so as to be capable of installation in the journal box without regard to end or side prepositioning prior to insertion into the box; and to enable such a lubricator pad to be readily withdrawn from or adjusted within the journal box as required.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in which we have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lubricator constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view on a reduced scale showing internal construction of the pad;

Fig. 3 is a fragment of the wicking cover on an enlarged scale showing details of the weave utilized;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a journal box showing the lubricator pad of the present invention installed therein; 7

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the weave transverse the filling;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view illustrating in somewhat open relation details of the weave used for wicking cover;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the weave illustrating transverse the warp; and

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view showing an alternative method of stiffening or reinforcing the face of the cover.

The present invention is illustrated as embodied in a pad 10, Fig. 1, having symmetrical rectangular faces and which is adapted to be inserted in the bottom of a journal box EB, Fig. 4, with the lower face engaging the bottom wall of the box and the upwardly disposed face thereof engaging with some force the lower peripheral portion of the journal portion J of the railway car axle that is disposed in the box. Lubricant in the form of oil is adapted to be retained in the bottom of the box approximately at the level L, Fig. 4, and this supply of lubricant is fed by capillarity through the pad 16 to the lower periphery of the car journal riding on the pad. The upper portion of the journal J is engaged in a conventional manner by a segmental bearing B of the usual kind, this bearing being held in place by a wedge W in accordance with standard or approved AAR practices.

The lubricator pad 16 of the present invention comprises a cellular or a sponge-like body 12, Fig. 2, preferably consisting of oil-resistant material such as neoprene synthetic rubber or the like, and while such may be of open cell or closed cell nature, the preferred form is open cell structure so as to enlarge the oil-retaining capacity of the sponge body.

As described in application Serial No. 475,701, filed December 16, 1954, the sponge body 12 is of symmetrical construction so far as the upper and lower faces and the opposing end walls thereof are concerned. Specifically; the upper and lower faces of the pad are square, and such construction enables the pad 1b to be arranged in the journal box without regard to which end or side is first inserted into the box during installation of the lubricatoras will be apparent from Fig. 4. The side of the pad face is, however, of less dimension than that of the journal between the filleted surfaces thereof as shown in Fig. 4 so as to allow full lateral play of the journal in the box within the accepted range.

It will be observed in Fig. 2, that enlarged vertical openings 15 are formed in the pad 12 in a staggered rela- ?atented Mar. 22, 1960 and two of the end walls thereof.

vertical motion 'of the journal or of the journal box, oil

trapped in the lower of the openings 3.5 is pressurized to cause lubricant ,to jet upwardly through the pad in relv tively large proportions, and if the pad 32 is closed-cell, V the dead ends of the passages are punctured to enable this to occur.

' The cells in the body 12, of the pad are adapted to absorb relatively large quantities of lubricant, so that even under what has been termed dry box conditions, the pad lubricator 10 containing lubricant absorbed therein is efiective for prolonged mileage. in one particular test run, a'lub-ricating pad as ltloperating only on the oil retained therein furnished adequate lubrication to ajournal without hearing failure for approximately 10,000 miles at a speed of 60 mph, ambient temperature 7G 'F. and a load of 20,000 pounds. 7

Prior to installation in the journal box, the pad is preferably soaked in warm oil for approximately twenty-four hours, or alternatively by repeatedly compressing the pad so. that the entire absorbing volurne'of the body portion is utiiized. After installation, oil is added to the bottom of the journal box in slightly over-charging quantities to a level of about one and one-half or two inches to compensate for any oil that may have squeezed from the pad during installation. The only subsequent maintenance required is to maintain oil in the box at about three-fourths to one inch level.

weight of a dry'pad, so that the oil'saturation ratio is approximately three to one. V

Some pad lubricators, as heretofore constructed, have displayed a-marked tendency to run hot at the face thereof engaged by the journal, and moreover have glazed over,

that is, have more or less hardened at the face engaged by the journaldue either to hot runningco-nditions or the gradual accumulation of foreign matter in the cells at the- 7 2% of one piece construction is afforded of such size as toextend about the upper and lower faces of the pad The part 2&5 of the cover consists of cottonwebbing'of high wicking characteristics woven in a manner to be describedbelow. At oneiendwall thus covered, the ends. of the cover are brought together and there are folded and joined by stitching. 23., Fig. 1', which in the present instance is at a slant for a purpose to be mentioned below and in which stitching nylon or like thread is advantageously employed. The side walls'of the pad 2% are provided with end panels.

23 of so-called soft cotton webbing embodying a reinforced comon wick weave, and these panels are also of wicking characteristic and are attached to the outwardiycxtending edges of the face'portion 2b of he cover as by stitches 25, Fig l, preferably of nylon or like a thread, thereby completely enclosing the body portion i2 of the pad with high wicking cotton web material.

Metallic grommets 2% are provided at each corner of the pad, these being crimped in place in the usual fashion,

and his for this reason that the stitch 21 is slanted. Thus When properly impregnated, it is found that a pad as 10 is approximately four times'the v v 4 V that byslanting the stitch the grommets can be arranged on opposite sides thereof atportions of the cover 20 free of the stitch 21.

In order to prevent stretching where the grommets are joined to the soft webbing of which the end panels 23 are. composed, the end pane-ls'23. are reinforced longitudinally, preferably by having resort to an increased number of warp threads at the medial portion thereof where the grommets are provided, these warps'of course being parallel to the upper and lower edges of the pad.

The portion 26 of the wicking cover,'which is to say the portion of the wicliing coyer having faces thereof adapted to engage the journal 3 are provided with spaced apart, parallel raised ribs R, Fig. '3, having channels C therebetween, and the relation is such that these ribs engage the journal whereas the channels ride free of the journal. With this particular arrangement, it has been found that the lubricator is stabilized against shifting within the journal box incidental to the journal rotating in one direction. Moreover, thejournal operates, at relatively low temperatures, and desirable filtering of the oil is achieved. Additionally, the aforementioned channels C afford traps in which matter lilcely'to cause glazing of the iuoricatoris adapted to collect and be'washed by lubricant to the sump at the'bottom of the box so as not to abrade the journal or interfere with normal capillarity movement of lubricant upwardly through the raised or the rib portions of the cover under such conditions. Such channels also account for enhancedcooling of the lubricator. Thus, in one wear test run with a railway carv equipped with a complete set of pads 1 there was no glazing after 90,000 miles of actual railway operating conditions, and no definite glazing point hasas yet been found experimentally. In comparison tests'with waste packing, it was found that the pad 39 accounted for journal bearing temperatures 50 F. cooler than in the instance of waste packing. Completely satisfactory operation is attained at F. below zero and at 125 F.

In achieving the foregoing advantageous relation of alternatingribs and channels at the journal engaging surface of the cover, resort is had to a weave that is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8,'and the alternating rib and channel arrangement attained by this weave is illustrated on enlarged scale in Fig. 3. V

As shown in Fig. 7, the material comprising the portion 20 of the cover in the loom is in effect folded at 25 and each portion of the fold is woven in a two-ply thickness. Thus, the loor'nis set up so that there is anupper shed and a lower shed corresponding to the two portions of the fold, and in achieving the two-ply, double-shed weave resort is had to two plys of. warp threads 31A and 31B corresponding to'an upper shed in the loom, and two plys of warp threads 32A and 325 corresponding to the lower-sh ed in the loom. During the course of weaving through the two sheds thus afforded the weft thread or so-calledfiller 37 is so employed as to be used both in the-upper and lower sheds as will be apparent in Fig. 7, weaving two plys in each instance, and in so doing the side or fold 29, Fig. 7, of the material where the filler thread is passed from one shed into the other becomes compacted dueto tightening of the weft thread, and the advantage ofthiswill be mentioned below.

- 'A fragment of the woven material is shown in Fig. 3,

and for purposesof reference'such fragment is identified as comprising the warp threads 31A and 3113 referred to ,hereinabove' in connection with Fig.7. t will be observed that these warps are arranged in pairs, such pairs being separated by binder threads 35 that alternate between every two warps in one ply.

shed is passed over the top of all the warp threads in one ply, and then in the next pick in the opposite direction is passed over the top of all the warp threads in the associated ply. In the next two adjacent picks, this relation is reversed.

Thus, referring to Fig. 6 it will be observed that one such pick is shown at 37-1, the filler 37-1 in this instance passing under all the binder ends 36, over all the upper warps 31A and lower warps 31B, and then in the next pick 37-2 back under all the binder ends 36 and upper warps 31A and over all the lower warps 318. The next two adjacent picks represented at 37-5 and 376 are of reversed relation compared to the preceding, in which instance the weft thread 37 passes under all the upper warps 31A and over all the lower warps 3113 (at 37-5), and back under all the warps 311A and 318 (at 37-6). As was mentioned, the filler is continuous between the two sheds as shown in Fig. 7, there being two picks 37-3 and 374 in the lower shed.

The binder threads 36 are spaced between and parallel to the warps and represent a comon or plain weave in respect of the filler threads 37. Thus, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, the binder threads 36 extend between every four warp threads (upper and lower ply) and bind the fillers 37 first by being passed over the two fillers in two related p1cks as 37-1 and 37-2, and then under the two fillers in the next adjacent picks as 37-5 and 37-6.

During the course of raising and lowering the heddles of the loom between picks, the tiller thread 37 and the binder threads 36 are tightened on the warps, and this has the inherent effect of producing a series of raised knobs or bundled warps that define the ribs R having parallel channels C therebetween.

it was mentioned that the folded end 29 of the material in the loom was of importance. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that this fold is there represented as a fold line or section 29 extending across the upper face of the pad 10 at the medial point. In use, it is immaterial whether the mid-section 29' is parallel to or at right angles to the journal J, Fig. 4. When the woven material is lifted from the cloth beam and unfolded it is found that resultantly the fold 29 produced on one side of the material a depressed ll-shaped channel portion whereas on the other side a bulge or enlarged rib is produced clue to the tendency of the warp threads of the fold 29 in the loom to in effect be squeezed or compacted.

In disposing the cover about the body of the pad, the fold line 29' is arranged so that the bulge thereof is next to the body portion 12 of the pad with the V-shaped counterpart thereof facing outwardly. The compaction of warps at the fold line 29' in effect achieves stiffening of the face of the pad cover at this section, preventing the cover from tending to crease or gather due to motion of the journal. Aside from thereby preventing the cover from assuming non-uniform characteristics otherwise manifest in such creasing or gathering, the fold line 29 also reduces the possibility of the pad 19 being pushed to one side or the other of the journal box due to rotation of the journal, and the ribs R cooperate to the same end.

There are instances where it may be of advantage to to additional stiffening means cooperating with the rib 29' in stabilizing the larger faces of such a pad that are adapted to engage the journal I or the bottom of the journal box. This may be conveniently accomplished by increasing the number of warp threads between the binder threads to accordingly provide a pair of stiffening sections which, in the case of a larger pad as mentioned above, extend parallel to the rib 29' in equally spaced relation on either side thereof. Thus, in weaving the twoply, double shedded cover for such a pad of increased dimension, resort may be had, as shown in Fig. 8, to four warp threads as 31A and four warp threads as 3113', in the Same space normally taken up by two warp threads 31A and two warp threads 3113, at an area between the folded end 29 of the material on the loom and the corresponding free end, eight such stiffening warps also being afforded in the lower shed of the loom. In such event, the binders are doubled at 36A and 36B on either side of the two eight-warp stiffened sections thus woven into the material on either side of the fold 29.

It will of course be realized that the particular weave described above is one way in which ribs as R, and stiffened sections or areas, may be provided in the face of the wicking cover so that these engage the journal while the resultant channels are free of the journal, afiording the advantages mentioned above. As will be observed in Fig. 3, the ribs R are composed of discrete raised knobs of warp threads, proceeding in rows at right angles to one another, so that it is immaterial which way the lubricator is oriented in the journal box.

Hence, while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A lubricator for a journal comprising, a porous pad of oil-resistant sponge material adapted to retain fluid lubricant therein, and a cover of high wicking capacity secured about the pad and adapted to engage the journal and relay lubricant in the pad by capillarity to the journal, said cover being provided with elongated parallel spaced apart raised ribs having elongated parallel channels therebetween afforded by weaving the cover to have two superimposed plys of warp threads with a filling thread passed in a forward pick over the top of all the warps in the upper ply and in the next pick passed back over the top of all the warps in the lower ply, the filling for the two plys in the next two adjacent forward and back picks being of reversed relation so that the first or forward pick thereof passes under the bottom of all the warps in the upper ply while the second or back pick thereof returns under the bottom of all the warps in the lower ply, the filling alternating in the foregoing manner, and thesuccessive fillings that thus consist of two picks being plain-woven by binders, one binder between every set of two upper and lower superimposed warps, so as to connect the two plys and bunch the warps in parallel sets of projecting knobs that define elongated parallel ribs on stitch the four side edges 243E, Fig. 1, of the pad 10 so as to eliminate the natural roundness thereof. In other words, border portions of the cover ZG-at the edges 20E may be drawn together in a crease by stitching to provide relatively sharp edges in comparison to the natural form of the pad cover at these edges, thereby tending to lessen the possibility of wear by the filleted surfaces adjacent the collar of the journal I and the dust seat thereof, respectively.

In the instance of the lubricating pads as 10 of substantially increased dimension, say a pad measuring approximately ten inches square at the faces with a three and one-half inch depth, it is advantageous to resort the face of the cover that proceed at right angles one to another.

2. In a porous composition lubricator for a journal, a cover of high wicking capacity adapted to engage the journal and relay lubricant in the pad by capillarity to the journal, said cover being provided with elongated parallel spaced apart raised ribs having elongated parallel channels therebetween afforded by weaving the cover to have two superimposed plys of warp threads with a filling thread passed in a forward pick over the top of all the warps in the upper ply and in the next pick passed back over the top of all the warps in the lower ply, the

filling for the two plys in the next two adjacent forward and back picks being of reversed relation so that the first matter therein.

4. A lubricator for a journal comprising, a porous pa of oil-resistant sponge material adapted to retain fluid the warpsin the upper ply while the second or .back'pick thereofreturns under the bottom of all the warps in the lower .ply, the filling alternating 'in the foregoing manner,

and the successive fillings that thus consist of two picks being plain-woven by binders, one binder between every set of two upper and lower superimposed warps, so as "to connect the two plys and bunch the warps in parallel 8 r t the face. of the coventhat proceed atright angles one to-another, and said cover including a stiffened section adapted to stabilize a face thereof. 1

6. A lubricator for a journal in a journal box comprising, 'a pad of oil-resistant sponge material adapted to retain fluidlubricant therein, a cover of high wicking formed by pairs of side-by-side warp threads and sepaj rated bybinder threads, said channels having the bottoms thereof defined both by filler threads which pass beneath the warp threads and binder threads disposed belowthe tops of said warp threads whereby lubricant is adapted to pass to the journal through said ribs serving also to prevent the lubricator from shifting unduly within the box due to motionof the journal, while the channels between the ribs ride heed the journal and serve to cool'the face of the lubricator and trap foreign lubricant therein, and a cover for the pad of high wicking capacity adapted to engage the journal and relay lubricant in the pad by capillarity to the journal, said' I cover being provided with elongated parallel spaced apart raised ribs having elongated parallel channels therebetween afforded by weaving the cover to have two superimposed plys of warp threads with a filling thread passed in'a forward pick over the top of all the warps in the upper ply and'in the neitt pick passed back over the Ttop of all the warps in 'the lower ply, the filling for the two plys in the next two adjacent forward andback picks being of reversed relation so that the first or forward pick thereof passes under the bottom of all the warps in the upper ply while the second or back pick thereof returns under the bottom of all the warps in the lower ply, the'filling alternating in the foregoing manner, the succapacity'secure'd about the pad and adapted to engage the journal and relaylubricant in the vpad by capillarity to the journal; said covering being provided with elongatedparallel spacedapart raised ribs of wicking material having elongated parallel channels therebetween, said ribs consisting of warpw threads overlying filler threads and said channels being free of and uninterrupted by any of said warp threads affording said ribs, said cover including at least one stiffened section to stabilize a face thereof, and grommets fastened to the' lubricator to facilitate removal of the lubricator from or adjustment within thejournallbox. a e

7. A lubricator for a journalin a journal box comprising, a pad of oil resistant sponge material adapted to rerain fluid lubricant therein, a cover of'high wickingca' pacity secured about'the pad and adapted'to engage the journal and relay lubricant in the pad by capillarity to the journal, said covering being provided with elongated prising, a pad'of oil-resistant sponge material adapted to and said cover including a stiffened section to stabilize a 1 face thereof. V

5 In a porous composition lubricator fora journal, afcover of high wicking capacity adapted to engage the journal and relay lubricant in the pad by capillarity to the journal, said cover being provided with elongated parallel spaced apart raised ribs having elongated parallel channels therebetween afforded by weaving the cover to have two superimposed plys of warpthreads with a filling 1 thread passed in a forward pick over the top of all the t warps in the upper ply and in the next pick passed back over the top of all the warps in the lower ply, the filling for the two plys in the next two adjacent forward and back picks being of reversed relation so that the first or forward pick thereof passes under the bottom of'all the warps in the upper ply While the second or back pick thereof returns under the bottom of all the warps in the 7 lower ply, the filling'alternating in the foregoing man-' her, the successive fillings that thus consist of two picks being plain-woven by binders, one binder between everyset of two upper and lower superimposed warps, so as to connect the two plys and bunch the warps in parallel sets of pro ecting knobs that define said parallel ribs on retain fluid lubricant therein, the pad being provided with elongated passages extended inwardly from the opposed-faces thereof, said passages opening at random spaced points on the opposed faces of the pad andhaving dead ends terminating within the body of the pad approximately at the medial plane of thepad, avcover offhigh wicking capacity secured about the pad and adapted to engage the journal and relay lubricant in the pad by capillarity to the journah'said cover being provided with'elongated parallel spaced apart raised ribs of wicking material. having elongated parallel channels therebetween, said ribs consisting of warp threads overlying filler threads and said'channels being freeof and uninterrupted by any of said warp threads alfording said ribs, and grommetsfastened to the lubricator to facilitate removal of the lubricator from or adjustment within thev journal box.

Re. 20,562 Cunningham et al Nov; 30, 1937 1,374,960 Shipman Apr. 19, 1921 2,079,734 Ditn'lore May 11, 1937 2,105,190 Iackson Jan. 11, 1938 2,150,935 Miller Mar. 21, 1939 2,264,250 Shoemaker Nov. 25, 1941 2,279,354 Walters Apr. 14,1942 2,541,231 Fligg "Feb. 13, 1951 2,3l,629 Lee Mar. 17, 1953 2,713,524 rra July 19, 1955v FOREIGN PATENTS i T 2,153 Great Britain 1870 134,675 Austria Sept. 11, 1933 ornER REFERENCES 7 Perfect Journal Lubrication, published by Lubrication lroduct Company, June 1, 1937 (6 pages). 

